“Damn it…”

[The tutorial has finished. The starting point will open soon. Please be careful of the monster’s attack.]

“Damn it…”

It was chaotic.

Before I could be disappointed in myself about my stats, one thing led to another and I heard the sound of unknown beasts from outside the starting point.

I began to see terrified people moving towards the walls while others geared up as if they were determined to at least protect themselves.  It was the same for me.

There were enough weapons so I immediately ran and grabbed a spear. Although there were enough swords, I didn’t want to see the monster’s face up close. 

‘What should I do?’

‘What should I do?’

I had a lot on my mind.

Obviously enough, I wasn’t the only one panicking. Shouts that were more like screams rang out from all over the place as the combination of the monsters’ cries and being trapped in an enclosed space instilled fear into the hearts of everyone. “Please save us!”

“P-Please let us out. Please…”

“Stop joking around and open the door! I’m going to sue all of you! I’m going to sue! Hurry up and open the door!”

“Sob sob…please save us. Please…”

“I’m going to call the police! The police!”

“Grab a weapon! Don’t you hear the noise that’s coming from outside? Get a weapon!”

“You! Grab a weapon! You do it! Everyone, quickly grab a shield. Hurry!”

“What are you doing? Stop making things weird and end this sick joke!”

“It’s not a joke! Didn’t you all see the status window? Hurry up and grab a weapon! Hey mister! Do you think this is a joke?”

The large man that had been shouting desperately grabbed a wooden shield. He wasn’t the only one that suggested fighting, but he was a little more aggressive than the others.

Before I triggered anything, I saw the large man’s general information.

[Checking Player Park Deok-Gu’s status window and talent stats.]

[Name - Park Deok-Gu]

[Title - None. Please work harder.]

[Age - 23]

[Nature - A simple, ignorant and ardent person]

[Job - Unemployed]

[Stats]

[Strength - 21/Above epic growth limit]

[Agility - 16/Below rare growth limit]

[Stamina - 21/Above epic growth limit]

[Intelligence - 10/Below rare growth limit]

[Endurance - 30/Above epic growth limit]

[Luck - 11/Below average growth limit]

[Magic - 00/Above average growth limit]

[Overall Review - Overall, the stats are balanced. The player’s strength and endurance are high, so growing into a warrior won’t be a bad idea. Their endurance and stamina stats are amazing. Having low magic and agility stats are a flaw, but it can be made up with other stats, right? Compared to Lee Ki-Young, the player has great potential.]

‘You didn’t have to tell me that…’

Park Deok-Gu didn’t look 23-years-old. He looked heavy, tall, and bulky, yet he didn’t look like he was fat. It actually seemed like his entire body was covered with muscles.

Unlike me who’s strength and endurance points were 10, his strength was 20 and his endurance was 30. I soon realized that my talent and basic stats were the worst.

Just like what was displayed through the Mind’s Eye, it seemed like he would be useful as a warrior and meatshield.

If I pretended to be friendly now, he’d surely be wary of me. I should wield a spear first and stand near him. Sure enough, when I showed that I was going to fight with a spear, Park Deok-Gu spoke as if he was happy to see me.

“Are you going to fight too, dude?”

“Yes. I think that’s the best thing to do. There seems to be something outside…it’s best to do something rather than to stand idle.”

“Dude, you look like a timid person but you speak my language. ”

“Thank you. Let’s get ready.”

He had a satisfied look; it seemed like he didn’t realize he had said something rude. A simple conversation like this was effective.

I spoke up again, this time, towards the group. “Nothing will change if you keep denying this situation. Shouldn’t we first handle the issue that we’re about to face? The beasts are roaring outside. Whether this is reality, a hidden camera prank, or a dream, we need to do something. Everyone, grab a weapon. We must fight back.”

“Stop joking around!”

“It’s not a joke. I don’t want to joke around like this either and I rather wish that this was a joke. Everyone, please grab a weapon. If it’s a joke, then we can deal with it then.”

There needed to be a lot of people who could fight since we didn’t know how many and what type of monsters were outside.

Someone mumbled.

“O-Okay, let’s grab a weapon. T-Taking care of those things first and then assessing the situation would be best. W-We were told that we could win, s-so I’m sure we will.”

“Y-You’re right!”

“Let’s fight!”

Of course, no one was used to fighting but people started grabbing weapons. Some did it because others were doing it and others did it in order to protect themselves.

The atmosphere was getting better.

‘Not bad.’

This mood wasn’t bad.

“You guys should grab a weapon too.”

“Excuse me?”

“I’m not telling you to fight but we don’t know what will happen so you should at least have a weapon. You can’t expect someone to protect you. This is reality.”

“Oh. O-Okay…”

I’m sure they understood what I said. They looked unsatisfied as they grabbed a weapon, but that was it.

Of course, there were still a few distasteful people who were lingering in the back, but I couldn’t say that openly in a place like this. I gulped and waited for the approaching enemies.

‘Can we win?’

Of course, it was impossible, but we could probably survive through it.

A lot of us might die, but this base must be of grave importance. We must protect it.

‘Tutorial. She definitely said this was a tutorial.’

The mood felt good and everyone seemed willing to fight. Their eyes were filled with the desire to live.. 

‘We can do it.’

[The starting point will open momentarily. Five, four, three, two, one.]

[The starting point will now open. I wish you all the best.]

But it was my mistake to think that we could do something—that we could win—that if we endured, a miracle would happen.

“Kyahhhh!”

It wasn’t the stone gate in front of us that opened, it was the one behind us. As soon as it opened, a human-like monster appeared and viciously bit off the head of a retreating woman to the point that her blood splattered on everyone around her.

Before the others could feel terrified, however, monsters rushed in from all directions.

“Ahhhhh! Save me!”

“Run!”

‘Damn it!’

In an instant, the base was filled with screams.

It was hell.

Park Deok-Gu was the one who first shouted that we should fight, but he most likely never imagined, even in his wildest dreams, that we would fight against these kinds of monsters because he was staring absent-mindedly at the fight unfolding before him with his sword and shield.

We were ordinary people that never once wielded a sword and to make things worse, we weren’t used to fighting. There was no way we would be able to endure a situation like this. No one could believe the reality that was in front of them.

Without realizing it, I shouted towards Park Deok-Gu, who was staring at the fight in a daze.

“What are you doing? Do you want to die?!”

“D-Dude!”

My legs and hand that was holding the spear were shaking but I bit my lips and threw the spear. Luckily, the spear pierced through a monster’s head.

Park Deok-Gu aggressively pushed back the monsters with his shield.

The formation was destroyed in an instant as allies and monsters became indistinguishable from one another. There were even some that started running to an open space.

‘I need to run.’

Staying here meant that I would die. 

‘Die.’

A definite annihilation.

‘I’m going to die.’

I had no time to waste thinking about anything else.

“Run!”

“Huh? Huh? Huh?”

“You damn pig! Run! Can’t you hear me?!”

I yelled towards the man that I’ve been eyeing. He must’ve returned to his senses because he immediately raised his shield and started running away. I also threw myself through the narrow gap in order to escape.

‘Oh!’

While moving, I remembered the provisions.

They were relatively close by. 

I needed to grab those since I didn’t know if there were other shelters aside from this base.

“D-Dude! Where?!”

“Grab the water!”

“O-Okay!”

Amidst the cacophony of voices, I could clearly distinguish the screams.

I made eye contact with a woman whose shoulder was bitten by a zombie.  

“S-Save…”

“Damn it.”

I contemplated for a moment but my hands that were holding the spear betrayed the woman’s hope. The woman’s eyes were filled with despair but I didn’t look at her. After grabbing three leather bags that were sitting on the floor, I looked behind and saw how the monster rushed to the woman and attacked her.

I lived thanks to her, so it was only right to express my gratitude.

‘I’m sorry.’

After muttering an apology that I would never hear an answer to, I immediately walked away.

“Dude!”

When I turned my attention to where Park Deok-Gu was yelling from, I saw a monster charging towards me.

“Sh…”

Stab!

“Screech!”

A sword flew from somewhere and landed on the monster’s head. I wasn’t sure if it was related to my luck stats, but I considered myself lucky at this moment.

I thought I made eye contact with the man that threw the sword, but I didn’t have the luxury to check his stats. One thing I was sure of, however,was that I felt something strange.

‘What is it?’

That man didn’t seem terrified nor was he trembling in fear. He seemed desperate, but it wasn’t an obsession with life.

‘Was I seeing things?’

He had a very memorable face.

When I suddenly passed him, I saw Park Deok-Gu waiting for me while holding his shield.

“Did you grab the water?!”

I didn’t hear his answer but seeing the leather pouch in his right hand, it seemed like he did grab it. He was good at doing what he was told.

“I-I think there’s still someone inside!”

“Shut up and run if you don’t want to die! You damn pig! Don’t you see the monsters?”

“Ah! Okay, d-dude!”

It only took a moment for us to escape to an open area.

I saw people getting caught while running and those that hadn’t been able to escape in the first place. When I looked back, I didn’t see any monsters following us. They were focused on the prey that was inside the base.

The people inside must’ve been resisting because I heard screams from all over the place, but I covered my eyes and pretended not to hear anything.

“S-Save me!”

“Fight baaaack!”

“Screech!”

“Kyahhhh!”

“Please save me. Sob sob…save me. Sob…”

“Ahhhhh!”

Seeing how Park Deok-Gu closed his eyes tightly, I guess he couldn’t get the people we left out of his head either.

“Don’t feel guilty. We had no choice.”

“B-But…”

“There was nothing we could do. There was nothing we could do…”

There was nothing we could do in that situation.

I’m sure he knew this as well.

“Damn it….”

But there wasn’t a way to stop the curses that were coming out of Park Deok-Gu’s mouth.